Volunteers Needed: to conduct social audit of NREGS and ICDS in Bihar

Volunteers Needed: to conduct social audit of NREGS & ICDS in Bihar
From: Ashish Ranjan
Hard Work No Pay Summer Jobs off the Beaten Track
*Do you support the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)? Then why not give some of your time to help make it work? Last year 40 student volunteers from different universities across India helped the Araria District Administration and Jan Jagaran Shakti Sangathan ( *www.jjabihar.org *) with other civil society groups to conduct a series of social audits of NREGA works and ICDS centres. This year the ICDS directorate, Bihar plans to conduct similar audits in East Champaran District with the help of JJSS and other civil society organisations. JJSS also plans to conduct social audits and awareness campaigns in few other districts (subject to interest of the local administration). *
Volunteers are needed for conducting social audits and surveys in these districts of Bihar. This involves conducting awareness campaigns, organize public meetings, monitoring the functioning of MNREGA and ICDS, helping MNREGA workers file work application and related activities. Volunteers should be prepared to work in rural areas for at least three weeks, without modern comforts. Prior experience of fieldwork, and fluency in English and Hindi, are preferred but not essential.
ICDS directorate will pay a fixed amount to those who are engaged in Social Audits in East Champaran district (travel allowance plus minimum wage, i.e Rs 144/day) which will cover all your expenses. For other audit exercises there will be no stipend. However, since this is not a money-making opportunity, we encourage you to apply for volunteer work with an open mind. If a stipend is essential for you then please specify that you will only work on the ICDS social audit in East Champaran. More importantly, it is a chance for you to gain work experience, learn something about rural India, and contribute to the realization of proper functioning MNREGA and ICDS. Also clarify the dates when you will be available. Audits will be conducted in the months of May-June. Please send your resume to ashish.ranjanjha@gmail.com by *20th April, 2012*.
For any clarification you can call Ashish at 09973363664.
Kamayani Swami and Ashish Ranjan for the Jan Jagaran Shakti Sangathan.
*ICDS directorate/JJSS will issue participation certificate
www.jjabihar.org
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